THE CLEMENTINE HOMILIES

HOMILY XVIII

CHAP. I.--SIMON MAINTAINS THAT THE FRAMER OF THE WORLD IS NOT THE HIGHEST
GOD.

AT break
of day, when Peter went forth to discourse, Simon anticipated him, and said: "When I went away yesterday, I promised to you to return to-day,
and in a discussion show that he who flamed the world is not the highest God,
but that the highest God is another who alone is good, and who has remained
unknown up to this time. At once, then, state to me whether you maintain that
the framer of the world is the same as the lawgiver or not? If, then, he is
the lawgiver, he is just; but if he is just, he is not good. But if he is not
good, then it was another that Jesus proclaimed, when he said,(1) 'Do not call
me good; for one is good, the Father who is in the heavens.' Now a lawgiver
cannot be both just and good, for these qualities do not harmonize."(2)
And Peter said: "First tell us what are the actions which in your opinion
constitute a person good, and what are those which constitute him just, in
order that thus we may address our words to the same mark." And Simon
said: "Do you state first what in your opinion is goodness, and what justice."

CHAP. II.--DEFINITION OF GOODNESS AND JUSTICE.

And Peter
said: "That I may not waste my time in contentious discussions,
while I make the fair demand that you should give answers to my propositions,
I shall myself answer those questions which I put, as is your wish. I then
affirm that the man who bestows(3) goods is good, just as I see the Framer
of the world doing when He gives the sun to the good, and the rain to the just
and unjust." And Simon said: "It is most unjust that he should give
the same things to the just and the unjust." And Peter said: "Do
you, then, in your turn state to us what course of conduct would constitute
Him good." And Simon said: "It is you that must state this." And
Peter said: "I will. He who gives the same things to the good and just,
and also to the evil and unjust, is not even just according to you; but you
would with reason call Him just if He gave goods to the good and evils to the
evil. What course of conduct, then, would He adopt, if He does not adopt the
plan of giving things temporal to the evil, if perchance they should be converted,
and things eternal to the good, if at least they remain good? And thus by giving
to all, but by gratifying the more excellent,(1) His justice is good; and all
the more long-suffering in this, that to sinners who repent He freely grants
forgiveness of their sins, and to those who have acted well He assigns even
eternal life. But judging at last, and giving to each one what he deserves,
He is just. If, then, this is right, confess it; but if it appears to you not
to be right, refute it."

CHAP. III.--GOD BOTH GOOD AND JUST.

And Simon
said: "I said once for all, 'Every lawgiver, looking to justice,
is just.'" And Peter said: "If it is the part of him who is good
not to lay down a law, but of him who is just to lay down a law, in this way
the Framer of the world is both good and just. He is good, inasmuch as it is
plain that He did not lay down a law in writing from the times of Adam to Moses;
but inasmuch as He had a written law from Moses to the present times,(2) He
is just also." And Simon said: "Prove to me from the utterances of
your teacher that it is within the power of the same man to be good and just;
for to me it seems impossible that the lawgiver who is good should also be
just." And Peter said: "I shall explain to you how goodness itself
is just. Our teacher Himself first said to the Pharisee who asked Him,(3) 'What
shall I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Do not call me good; for one is good,
even the Father who is in the heavens;' and straightway He introduced these
words, 'But if thou shalt wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.'
And when he said, 'What commandments?' He pointed him to those of the law.
Now He would not, if He were indicating some other good being, have referred
him to the commandments of the Just One. That indeed justice and goodness are
different I allow, but you do not know that it is within the power of the same
being to be good and just. For He is good, in that He is now long-suffering
with the penitent, and welcomes them; but just, when acting as judge He will
give to every one according to his deserts."

CHAP. IV.--THE UNREVEALED GOD.

And Simon
said: "How,
then, if the framer of the world, who also fashioned Adam, was known, and
known
too by those who were just according to the law,
and moreover by the just and unjust, and the whole world, does your teacher,
coming after all these, say,(4) 'No one has known the Father but the Son, even
as no one knoweth the Son but the Father, and those to whom the Son may wish
to reveal Him?' But he would not have made this statement, had he not proclaimed
a Father who was still unrevealed, whom the law speaks of as the highest, and
who has not given any utterance either good or bad (as Jeremiah testifies in
the Lamentations(5)); who also, limiting the nations to seventy languages,
according to the number of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt, and according
to the boundaries of these nations, gave to his own Son, who is also called
Lord, and who brought into order the heaven and the earth, the Hebrews as his
portion, and defined him to be God of gods, that is, of the gods who received
the other nations as their portions. Laws, therefore, proceeded from all the
so-called gods to their own divisions, which consist of the other nations.
In like manner also from the Son of the Lord of all came forth the law which
is established among the Hebrews. And this state of matters was determined
on, that if any one should seek refuge in the law of any one, he should belong
to the division of him whose law he undertook to obey. No one knew the highest
Father, who was unrevealed, just as they did not know that his Son was his
Son. Accordingly at this moment you yourself, in assigning the special attributes
of the unrevealed Most High to the Son, do not know that he is the Son, being
the Father of Jesus, who with you is called the Christ.

CHAP. V.--PETER DOUBTS SIMON'S HONESTY.

When Simon
had made these statements, Peter said to him: "Can you call
to witness that these are your beliefs that being Himself,--I do not mean Him
whom you speak of now as being unrevealed, but Him in whom you believe, though
you do not confess Him? For you are talking nonsense when you define one thing
in stead of another. Wherefore, if you call Him to witness that you believe
what you say, I shall answer you. But if you continue discussing with me what
you do not believe, you compel me to strike the empty air." And Simon
said: "It is from some of your own disciples that I have heard that this
is the truth."(6) And Peter said:. "Do not bear false witness?" And
Simon said: "Do not rebuke me, most insolent man." And Peter said: "So
long as you do not tell who it was who said so, I affirm that you are a liar." And
Simon said: "Suppose that I myself have got up these doctrines, or that
I heard them from some other, give me your answer to them. For if they cannot
be overturned, then I have learned that this is the truth." And Peter
said: "If it is a human invention, I will not reply to it; but if you
are held fast by the supposition that it is the truth, acknowledge to me that
this is the case, and I can then myself say something in regard to the matter." And
Simon said: "Once for all, then, these doctrines seem to me to be true.
Give me your reply, if you have aught to say against them."

CHAP. VI.--THE NATURE OF REVELATION.

And Peter
said: "If this is the case, you are acting most impiously.
For if it belongs to the Son, who arranged heaven and earth, to reveal His
unrevealed Father to whomsoever He wishes, you are, as I said, acting most
impiously in revealing Him to those to whom He has not revealed Him." And
Simon said: "But he himself wishes me to reveal him." And Peter said: "You
do not understand what I mean, Simon. But listen and understand. When it is
said that the Son will reveal Him to whom He wishes, it is meant that such
an one is to learn of Him not by instruction, but by revelation only. For it
is revelation when that which lies secretly veiled in all the hearts of men
is revealed unveiled by His God's own will without any utterance. And thus
knowledge comes to one, not because he has been instructed, but because he
has understood. And yet the person who understands it cannot demonstrate it
to another, since he did not himself receive it by instruction; nor can he
reveal it, since he is not himself the Son, unless he maintains that he is
himself the Son. But you are not the standing Son. For if you were the Son,
assuredly you would know those who are worthy of such a revelation. But you
do not know them. For if you knew them, you would do as they do who know."

CHAP. VII.--SIMON CONFESSES HIS IGNORANCE.

And Simon
said: "I confess I have not understood what you mean by the
expression, 'You would do as they do who know.'" And Peter said: "If
you have not understood it, then you cannot know the mind of every one; and
if you are ignorant of this, then you do not know those who are worthy of the
revelation. You are not the Son, for(1) the Son knows. Wherefore He reveals
Him to whomsoever He wishes, because they are worthy." And Simon said: "Be
not deceived. I know those who are worthy, and I am not the Son. And yet I
have not understood what meaning you attach to the words, 'He reveals Him to
whomsoever He wishes.' But I said that I did not understand it, not because
I did not know it, but because I knew that those who were present did not understand
it, in order that you may state it more distinctly, so that they may perceive
what are the reasons why we are carrying on this discussion." And Peter
said: "I cannot state the matter more clearly: explain what meaning you
have attached to the words." And Simon said: "There is no necessity
why I should state your opinions." And Peter said: "You evidently,
Simon, do not understand it, and yet you do not wish to confess, that you may
not be detected in your ignorance, and thus be proved not to be the standing
Son. For you hint this, though you do not wish to state it plainly; and, indeed,
I who am not a prophet, but a disciple of the true Prophet, know well from
the hints you have given what your wishes are. For you, though you do not understand
even what is distinctly said, wish to call yourself son in opposition to us." And
Simon said: "I will remove every pretext from you. I confess I do not
understand what can be the meaning of the statement, 'The Son reveals Him to
whomsoever He wishes.' State therefore what is its meaning more distinctly."

CHAP. VIII.--THE WORK OF REVELATION BELONGS TO THE SON ALONE.

And Peter
said: "Since, at least in appearance, you have confessed that
you do not understand it, reply to the question I put to you, and you will
learn the meaning of the statement. Tell me, do you maintain that the Son,
whoever he be, is just, or that he is not just?" And Simon said: "I
maintain that he is most just." And Peter said: "Seeing He is just,
why does He not make the revelation to all, but only to those to whom He wishes?" And
Simon said: "Because, being just, he wishes to make the revelation only
to the worthy." And Peter said: "Must He not therefore know the mind
of each one, in order that He may make the revelation to the worthy?" And
Simon said: "Of course he must." And Peter said: "With reason,
therefore, has the work of giving the revelation been confined to Him alone,
for He alone knows the mind of every one; and it has not been given to you,
who are not able to understand even that which is stared by us."

CHAP. IX.--HOW SIMON BEARS HIS EXPOSURE.

When Peter
said this, the multitudes applauded.(2) But Simon, being thus exposed,(3)
blushed through
shame, and
rubbing his forehead, said: "Well, then, do
they declare that I, a magician, yea, even I who syllogize, am conquered by
Peter? It is not so. But if one should syllogize, though carried away and conquered,
he still retains the truth that is in him. For the weakness in the defender
is not identical with the truth in the conquered man.(1) But I assure you that
I have judged all those who are bystanders worthy to know the unrevealed Father.
Wherefore, because I publicly reveal him to them, you yourself, through envy,
are angry with me who wish to confer a benefit on them."

CHAP. X.--PETER'S REPLY TO SIMON.

And Peter
said: "Since
you have thus spoken to please the multitudes who are present, I shall speak
to them, not to please them, but to tell them
the truth. Tell me how you know all those who are present to be worthy, when
not even one of them agreed with your exposition of the subject; for the giving
of applause to me in opposition to you is not the act of those who agree with
you, but of those who agree with me, to whom they gave the applause for having
spoken the truth. But since God, who is just, judges the mind of each one--a
doctrine which you affirm to be true--He would not have wished this to be given
through the left hand to those on the right hand, exactly as the man who receives
anything from a robber is himself guilty. So that, on this account, He did
not wish them to receive what is brought by you; but they are to receive the
revelation through the Son, who has been set apart for this work. For to whom
is it reasonable that the Father should give a revelation, but to His only
Son, because He knows Him to be worthy of such a revelation? And so this is
a matter which one cannot teach or be taught, but it must be revealed by the
ineffable hand to him who is worthy to know it."

CHAP. XI.--SIMON PROFESSES TO UTTER HIS REAL

And Simon
said: It contributes much to victory, if the man who wars uses his own weapons;
for what one loves
he can in real earnest defend, and that which
is defended with genuine earnestness has no ordinary power in it. Wherefore
in future I shall lay before you my real opinions. I maintain that there is
some unrevealed power, unknown to all, even to the Creator himself, as Jesus
himself has also declared, though he did not know what he said, For when one
talks a great deal he sometimes hits the truth, not knowing what he is saying.
I am referring to the statement which he uttered, 'No one knows the Father.'" And
Peter said: "Do not any longer profess that you know His doctrines. And
Simon said: "I do not profess to believe his doctrines; but I am discussing
points in which he was by accident right." And Peter said: "Not to
give you any pretext for escape, I shall carry on the discussion with you in
the way you wish. At the same time, I call all to witness that you do not yet
believe the statement which you just now made. For I know your opinions. And
in order that you may not imagine that I am not speaking the truth, I shall
expound yore opinions, that you may know that you are discussing with one who
is well acquainted with them.

CHAP. XII.--SIMON'S OPINIONS EXPOUNDED BY PETER.

"We, Simon, do not assert that from the great power, which is also called
the dominant(2) power, two angels were sent forth, the one to create the world,
the other to give the law; nor that each one when he came proclaimed himself,
on account of what he had done, as the sole creator; nor that there is one
who stands, will stand, and is opposed.(3) Learn how you disbelieve even in
respect to this subject. If you say that there is an unrevealed power, that
power is full of ignorance. For it did not foreknow the ingratitude of the
angels who were sent by it." And Simon became exceedingly angry with Peter
for saying this, and interrupted his discourse, saying: "What nonsense
is this you speak, you daring and most impudent of men, revealing plainly before
the multitudes the secret doctrines, so that they can be easily learned?" And
Peter said: "Why do you grudge that the present audience should receive
benefit?" And Simon said: "Do you then allow that such knowledge
is a benefit?" And Peter said: "I allow it: for the knowledge of
a false doctrine is beneficial, inasmuch as you do not fall into it because
of ignorance." And Simon said: "You are evidently not able to reply
to the propositions I laid before you. I maintain that even your teacher affirms
that there is some Father unrevealed.

CHAP. XIII.--PETER'S EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE.

And Peter
said: "I
shall reply to that which you wish me to speak of,--namely, the passage,
'No one knows
the Father but the Son, nor does any one know the
Son but the Father, and they to whom the Son may wish to reveal Him.' First,
then, I am astonished that, while this statement admits of countless interpretations,
you should have chosen the very dangerous position of maintaining that the
statement is made in reference to the ignorance of the Creator (Demiurge),
and all who are under him. For, first, the statement can apply to all the Jews
who think that David is the father of Christ, and that Christ himself is his
son, and do not know that He is the Son of God. Wherefore it is appropriately
said, 'No one knows the Father,' since, instead of God, they affirmed David
to be His father; and the additional remark, that no one knows even the Son,
is quite correct, since they did not know that He was the Son. The statement
also, 'to whomsoever the Son may wish to reveal Him,' is also correct; for
He being the Son from the beginning, was alone appointed to give the revelation
to those to whom He wishes to give it. And thus the first man (protoplast)
Adam must have heard of Him; and Enoch, who pleased God, must have known Him;
and Noah, the righteous one, must have become acquainted with Him; and Abraam
His friend must have understood Him; and Isaac must have perceived Him; and
Jacob, who wrestled with Him, must have believed in Him; and the revelation
must have been given to all among the people who were worthy.

CHAP. XIV.--SIMON REFUTED.

"But
if, as you say, it will be possible to know Him, because He is now revealed
to all through
Jesus,(1)
are you not stating what is most unjust,
when you say that these men did not know Him, who were the seven pillars of
the world, and who were able to please the most just God, and that so many
now from all nations who were impious know Him in every respect? Were not those
who were superior to every one not deemed worthy to know Him?(2) And how can
that be good which is not just? unless you wish to give the name of 'good,'
not to him who does good to those who act justly, but to him who loves the
unjust, even though they do not believe, and reveals to them the secrets which
he would not reveal to the just. But such conduct is befitting neither in one
who is good nor just, but in one who has come to hate the pious. Are not you,
Simon, the standing one, who have the boldness to make these statements which
never have been so made before?"

CHAP. XV.--MATTHEW XI. 25 DISCUSSED.

And Simon,
being vexed at this, said: "Blame your own teacher, who said,
'I thank Thee, Lord of heaven and earth, that what was concealed from the wise,
Thou hast revealed to suckling babes.'"(3) And Peter said: "This
is not the way in which the statement was made; but I shall speak of it as
if it had been made in the way that has seemed good to you. Our Lord, even
if He had made this statement, 'What was concealed from the wise, the Father
revealed to babes,' could not even thus be thought to point out another God
and Father in addition to Him who created the world. For it is possible that
the concealed things of which He spoke may be those of the Creator (Demiurge)
him self; because Isaiah(4) says, 'I will open my mouth in parables, and I
will belch forth things concealed from the foundation of the world.(1) Do you
allow, then, that the prophet was not ignorant of the things concealed, which
Jesus says were concealed from the wise, but revealed to babes? And how was
the Creator (Demiurge) ignorant of them, if his prophet Isaiah was not ignorant
of them? But our Jesus did not in reality say 'what was concealed,' but He
said what seems a harsher statement; for He said, 'Thou hast concealed these
things from the wise, and(5) hast revealed them to sticking babes.' Now the
word 'Thou hast concealed' implies that they had once been known to them; for
the key of the kingdom of heaven, that is, the knowledge of the secrets, lay
with them.

CHAP. XVI.--THESE THINGS HIDDEN JUSTLY FROM THE WISE.

"And
do not say He acted impiously towards the wise in hiding these things from
them. Far be
such a supposition
from us. For He did not act impiously;
but since they hid the knowledge of the kingdom,(6) and neither themselves
entered nor allowed those who wished to enter, on this account, and justly,
inasmuch as they hid the ways from those who wished, were in like manner the
secrets hidden from them, in order that they themselves might experience what
they had done to others, and with what measure they had measured, an equal
measure might be meted out to them.(7) For to him who is worthy to know, is
due that which he does not know; but from him who is not worthy, even should
he seem to have any thing it is taken away,(8) even if he be wise in other
matters; and it is given to the worthy, even should they be babes as far as
the times of their discipleship are concerned.

CHAP.XVII.--THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM NOT CONCEALED FROM THE ISRAELITES.

"But
if one shall say nothing was concealed from the sons of Israel, because it
is written,(1)
'Nothing
escaped thy notice, O Israel for do not
say, O Jacob, The way is hid from me),' lie ought to understand that the things
that belong to the kingdom had been hid from them, but that the way that leads
to the kingdom, that is, the mode of life, had not been hid from them. Wherefore
it is that He says, 'For say not that the way has been hid from me.' But by
the way is meant the mode of life; for Moses says,(2) 'Behold, I have set before
thy face the way of life and the way of death.' And the Teacher spoke in harmony
with this:(3) 'Enter ye through the strait and narrow way, through which ye
shall enter into life.' And somewhere else, when one asked Him,(4) 'What shall
I do to inherit eternal life?' He pointed out to him the commandments of the
law.

CHAP. XVIII.--ISAIAH I. 3 EXPLAINED.

"From
the circumstance that Isaiah said, in the person of God,(7) 'But Israel hath
not known me,
and
the people hath not understood me,' it is not
to be inferred that Isaiah indicated another God besides Him who is known;(6)
but he meant that the known God was in another sense unknown, because the people
sinned, being ignorant of the just character of the known God, and imagined
that they would not be punished by the good God. Wherefore, after he said,
'But Israel hath not known me, and the people hath not understood me,' he adds,
'Alas! a sinful nation, a people laden with sins.' For, not being afraid, in
consequence of their ignorance of His justice, as I said, they became laden
with sins, supposing that He was merely good, and would not therefore punish
them for their sins.

CHAP. XIX.--MlSCONCEPTION OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

"And
some sinned thus, on account of imagining that there would be no judgment(7)
because
of His goodness.
But others took an opposite course For,
supposing the expressions of the Scriptures which are against God, and are
unjust and false. to be true` they did not know His real divinity and power.
Therefore, in the belief that He was ignorant and rejoiced in murder, and let
off the wicked in consequence of the gifts of sacrifices; yea, moreover, that
He deceived and spake falsely, and did every thing that is unjust, they themselves
did things like to what their God did, and thus sinning, asserted that they
were acting piously. Wherefore it was impossible for them to change to the
better, and when warned they took no heed. For they were not afraid, since
they became like their God through such actions.

CHAP. XX.--SOME PARTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WRITTEN TO TRY US.

"But
one might with good reason maintain that it was with reference to those who
thought Him
to be such that
the statement was made, 'No one knoweth
the Father but the Son, as no one knoweth even the Son, but the Father.' And
reasonably. For if they had known, they would not have sinned, by trusting
to the books written against God, really for the purpose of trying. But somewhere
also He says, wishing to exhibit the cause of their error more distinctly to
them, 'On this account ye do err, not knowing the true things of the Scriptures,
on which account ye are ignorant also of the power of God.'(8) Wherefore every
man who wishes to be saved must become, as the Teacher said, a judge of the
books written to try us. For thus He spake: 'Become experienced bankers.' Now
the need of bankers arises from the circumstance that the spurious is mixed
up with the genuine."

CHAP. XXI.--SIMON'S ASTONISHMENT AT PETER'S TREATMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES.

When Peter
said this, Simon pretended to be utterly astonished at what was said in regard
to the
Scriptures; and
as if in great agitation, he said: "Far
be it from me, and those who love me, to listen to your discourses. And, indeed,
as long as I did not know that you held these opinions in regard to the Scriptures,
I endured you, and discussed with you; but now I retire. Indeed, I ought at
the first to have withdrawn, because I heard you say, 'I, for my part, believe
no one who says anything against Him who created the world, neither angels,
nor prophets, nor Scriptures, nor priests, nor teachers, nor any one else,
even though one should work signs and miracles, even though he should lighten
brilliantly in the air, or should make a revelation through visions or through
dreams.' Who, then, can succeed in changing your mind, whether well or ill,
so as that you should hold opinions different from what you have determined
on, seeing that you abide so persistently and immoveably in your own decision?"

CHAP. XXII.--PETER WORSHIPS ONE GOD.

When Simon
said this, and was going to depart, Peter said: "Listen to
this one other remark, and then go where you like." Whereupon Simon turned
back and remained, and Peter said: "I know how you were then astonished
when you heard me say, 'Whosoever says anything whatever against God who created
the world, I do not believe him.' But listen now to something additional, and
greater than this. If God who created the world has in reality such a character
as the Scriptures assign Him, and if somehow or other He is incomparably wicked,
more wicked(1) than either the Scriptures were able to represent Him, or any
other can even conceive Him to be, nevertheless(2) I shall not give up worshipping
Him alone, and doing His will. For I wish you to know and to be convinced,
that he who has not affection for his own Creator, can never have it towards
another. And if he has it towards another, he has it contrary to nature, and
he is ignorant that he has this passion for the unjust from the evil one. Nor
will he be able to retain even it stedfastly. And, indeed, if there is another
above the Creator (Demiurge), he will welcome me, since he is good, all the
more that I love my own Father; and he will not welcome you, as he knows that
you have abandoned your own natural Creator: for I do not call Him Father,
influenced by a greater hope, and not caring for what is reasonable. Thus,
even if you find one who is superior to Him, he knows that you will one day
abandon him; and the more so that he has not been your father, since you have
abandoned Him who was really your Father.

CHAP. XXIII.--SIMON RETIRES.

"But you will say, 'He knows that there is no other above him, and on
this account he cannot be abandoned.' Thanks, then, to there being no other;
but He knows that the state of your mind is one inclined to ingratitude. But
if, knowing you to be ungrateful, He welcomes you, and knowing me to be grateful,
He does not receive me, He is inconsiderate, according to your own assertion,
and does not act reasonably. And thus, Simon, you are not aware that you are
the servant of wickedness." And Simon answered: "Whence, then, has
evil arisen? tell us." And Peter said: "Since to-day you were the
first to go out, and you declared that you would not in future listen to me
as being a blasphemer, come to-morrow, if indeed you wish to learn, and I shall
explain the matter to you, and I will permit you to ask me any questions you
like, without any dispute." And Simon said: "I shall do as shall
seem good to me." And saying this, he went away. Now, none of those who
entered along with him went out along with him; but, falling at Peter's feet,
they begged that they might be pardoned for having been carried away with Simon,
and on repenting, to be welcomed. But Peter, admitting those persons who repented,
and the rest of the multitudes, laid his hands upon them, praying, and healing
those who were sick amongst them; and thus dismissing them, he urged them to
return early about dawn. And saying this, and going in with his intimate friends,
he made the usual preparations for immediate repose, for it was now evening.